Residents urge better city follow-up on concerns; parks staff praised for fast response

Two members of the public spoke during the non-agenda citizen comment period on Feb. 24, raising contrasting issues: one about city communication and follow-up, the others praising a fast staff response.

Jeff Redmond, a Goodyear resident, said he attended multiple meetings and submitted contact information but received “0 follow-up,” and asked the city to improve responsiveness as Goodyear grows. He described a framework of concerns—airport flight patterns, roads and freeways, warehouses and apartments, and campaign signage—and said his specific experiences included multiple unanswered emails and phone calls regarding a proposed volunteer program and a sidewalk issue. He quoted a prior council remark he found troubling: “Goodyear’s open spaces are only 13% full and we need to fill them quickly,” which he said underlined his concern about the pace of growth and the need for better communication.

City staff responded during the meeting: the mayor asked staff to have someone reach out, and a staff member said the city manager’s office would contact Redmond. The city manager noted some issues are in staff control and some are not, and promised follow-up.

Julie and Levi Haynes, Goodyear residents, spoke about youth baseball field needs and said Parks and Recreation staff—Nathan Torres specifically—responded “lightning fast” after their last meeting, arranged a meeting at City Hall, and worked with Goodyear Little League leadership on an interim plan. Julie said the prompt response and coordination were “amazing.”

Council members thanked speakers and staff for both raising concerns and for the rapid Parks and Recreation response. The city manager later reiterated that staff would follow up with Redmond and praised Parks, Police, Fire and other departments for smooth major-event operations over the weekend.